Former Dolores del Rio to house Mediterranean restaurant

One of the River Walk’s most inconspicuous restaurant spaces, the one that once housed Italian eatery Dolores del Rio, is getting a new tenant, Bella on the River, which will serve mostly Mediterranean cuisine.

“We’re trying to do a little sampling literally from the Spanish coast to Turkey,” said owner David Snyder. “We’re really trying to focus on a little bit of influence from each of those regions.”

Snyder is looking to open the restaurant the week of May 23. The menu is actually already up; click here to view. Accompanying the food is a small but carefully-selected wine menu. “We spent a painstakingly amount of time in matching the wines with the menu,” Snyder said.

All of the interior is being refurbished, including the bar, which will remain simply a wine bar — no liquor. Hours are 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The plan is for the wine bar to remain open until midnight, with smaller plates available during that time. Snyder also said he has a number of pianists lined up, and will play everything from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett to Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.

No word as to why Dolores del Rio closed, or when, but the Italian restaurant had its problems with health inspections, having to close temporarily last year.